International sports, cycling: Tour de France

Southern France (GenevaLunch) – The end of the first week leaves the tour very open, with two main dramas being played, one between the Astana team and the other teams and a more personal conflict between seven-time winner Lance Armstrongand his teammate, the theoretical leader of the Astana team Alberto Contador.

The current wearer of the yellow jersey is Rinaldo Nocentini of the AG2R team, with Cantador six seconds beind and Armstrong eight seconds back. Monday is a rest day and little of interest is likely to happen before Sunday 19 July in the stage which ends in Verbier, Switzerland, at the end of a long climb which might well be decisive in determining the winner of the tour.